Hormones and Hormonal Disorders

Question 1

Oxytocin

Answer 1

• Stimulates uterine contractions in childbirth
• Promotes milk ejection during lactation
• From post. pituitary

Question 2

ADH

Answer 2

• From post. pituitary

Question 3

Diabetes Insipidus

Answer 3

• Lack of ADH
• Excessive urination
• No changes to blood or urine sugar contents

Question 4

FSH

Answer 4

• Promotes egg and sperm production
• From ant. Pituitary

Question 5

LH

Answer 5

• Estrogen and testosterone secretion
• Ovulation
• From ant. pituitary

Question 6

Thyroid-Secreting Hormone (TSH)

Answer 6

• Acts on thyroid
• Promotes TH secretion
• From ant. pituitary

Question 7

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

Answer 7

• Acts on adrenal glands
• Promotes cortisol secretion
• From ant. pituitary

Question 8

Prolactin

Answer 8

• Non-tropic
• Acts on mammary glands
• Promotes breast development and milk production
• From ant. pituitary

Question 9

Growth Hormone (GH)

Answer 9

• Causes liver to release insulin-like growth factors
• Stimulates protein synthesis and cell division
• Increases muscle
• lengthens and thickens bones
• Increase cell glucose uptake

Question 10

GH Hyposecretion

Answer 10

• Causes dwarfism (not achondroplasia)
• Proportional growth

Question 11

GH Hypersecretion

Answer 11

• Gigantism
• Lengthening of bones before growth plates close
• Thickening of bones after growth plates close

Question 12

Acromegaly

Answer 12

• Thickening of bones over the lifetime
• Can be developed later in life
• A form of gigantism

Question 13

Thyroid Hormone

Answer 13

• Acts on cells to increase metabolism (also increases heat)
• AKA Thyroxine

Question 14

Calcitonin

Answer 14

• Combats high blood Ca
• Increases gut Ca reabsorption
• Increases kidney Ca excretion
• Increases bone Ca absorption

Question 15

Hyperthyroidism (Grave’s Disease)

Answer 15

• Excessive thyroxine
• Grave’s disease is an autoimmune cause, but there can be other causes of hyperthyroidism
• Treated with medication, radiation, surgery
• Symptoms include tachycardia, nervousness, hyperactivity, weight loss / hunger, being hot, exophthalmus (bulgy eyes)

Question 16

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

Answer 16

• Antagonist to calcitonin
• Acts to raise blood calcium
• Increases gut Ca absorption
• Decreases kidney Ca excretion
• Releases Ca from bones

Question 17

Vitamin D

Answer 17

• Activated by PTH
• Stimulates Ca and PO4 absorption in gut
• Can be synthesized from a cholesterol derivative when exposed to sunlight via the liver and kidneys

Question 18

Vitamin D Deficiency

Answer 18

• Called Rickett’s in children and Osteomalacia in adults
• Decalcification of the bones
• Muscle weakness
• Weight loss and bone pain

Question 19

Epinephrine

Answer 19

• From adrenal medulla
• Increases heartrate, breathing, metabolism
• Shorter effect from adrenal glands and longer from the sympathetic nervous system

Question 20

Aldosterone

Answer 20

• A mineralcorticoid
• Acts on renal tubules to speed up Na/K pump
• Part of the renin angiotensin system for blood pressure
• From the adrenal cortex

Question 21

Cortisol

Answer 21

• From the adrenal cortex
• A glucocorticoid
• Increases blood glucose
• Stress hormone
• Anti-inflammatory
• Immunosuppressive

Question 22

Androgens

Answer 22

• Both sex hormones are present in different amounts in both sexes
• Men: estrogen is important for bone health, cholesterol levels. Decreased estrogen may lead to increased belly fat and decreased bone health. Increased estrogen may develop breasts and lead to erectile dysfunction and infertility
• Women: Low T may lead to fatigue, loss of sex drive, loss of muscle, and infertility. High testosterone may lead to the development of male characteristics

Question 23

Cushing’s Syndrome

Answer 23

• High cortisol levels
• Can cause hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, poor immune function, weight gain, and sweating

Question 24

Insulin

Answer 24

• Released when blood glucose is high
• Causes glucose to move into the cell
• Increases glycogen formation
• Also promotes cellular uptake of fatty acids and amino acids, and enhances their conversion of triglycerides and proteins

Question 25

Glucagon

Answer 25

• Released if blood glucose is low
• Breaks down glycogen (glycogenolysis)
• Gluconeogenesis
• Ketogenesis

Question 26

Diabetes Mellitus

Answer 26

• Two types: Insulin hyposecretion and low insulin response
• Causes high blood glucose exceeding the renal threshold
• Causes high urine volume
• Symptoms include frequent urination, thirst, and hunger
• Gestational diabetes may also occur during pregnancy

Question 27

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Answer 27

• Insulin hyposecretion
• Autoimmune disorder
• AKA insulin dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes
• Affects people before the age of 25
• Requires daily insulin injections, diet control, and blood monitoring

Question 28

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Answer 28

• Low cell response to insulin
• Gradual onset after age 40
• More likely with obesity
• Islets of Langerhans are “worn out”
• Controlled with diet and exercise
• Early type 2 means a poor response to insulin due to desensitization, so injections would worsen the condition
• Late type 2 has completely dysfunctional beta cells, so insulin levels will drop and injections may be required